The era of "clear stud" may be past due to the rule changes of the draft. Wall would have been the closest thing, but even he is no where near Lebron. Hard to say. If Lebron were coming out today, would he go to Ohio St. or head to Spain and ball for a year?

The atmosphere during the pregame was not like it has been in my last six trips to Staples to see the Pistons. Pistons fans were there enmasse, but not as loud and confident as before. Still Piston players got loud enough ovations to make them feel like they had fans. Both teams had 2 game wins streaks, and the Clipper fans were still not sure how and when the new guys would mesh.

My seats were right behind the basket about 10 rows back and just east of the Clipper bench.. Got about 20 good shots that I will add to Pf.com on Facebook later this afternoon.

Not as many stars as you would see at a Laker game, but I have seen more when the Pistons were ......good. (Kid rock and Jessica Alba in the house tonight that i could see).

Game time.

Pistons look good but tentative out there to open the first qtr. Clippers on the other hand with only Gooden and Kaman keeping the Clippers close. With 90 seconds left in the half Piston Had a chance to actually have 13-15 point half time lead as putting together 9-0 run but some shotty play by bengo as it relates to turnovers and a bad miss and before you knew it the lead was only 8 at the half. The Clippers shot bad in the first half and the Pistons just could not capitalize allowing them to hang around

As most have said, to much small ball and we paid for it getting beat in the paint by 10-12 points and the Clippers got way with to many offensive rebounds.

In the second half the Pistons were still able to maintain a lead through three quarters but as usual every time they had a chance to blow open the game, the key TO or miss shot would pop up and rear it's ugly head. You could tell from the many Pistons fans around me that this one was to close for comfort.

Piston positives....Tay looked good playing at home..had a double-double..maybe we should have traded him so he could be an all star next year.... Max and Stuckey were good too. Rip started off good and hit three threes in crunch time, but those FT's killed us. Looks we missed 12 FT all together.

In the end we all stood up to see who was actually gonna win this game.. First when all appeared loss, Pistons tie the game 82-82. The Rip hits the first three and for a big cheer from the scattered Piston faithful then Davis hits one to tie it...Then Rip hits another with a gasp from the crowd to put us up 88-85. I told my wife who was cheering for the Clips "the first team to 90 wins this..but much to my chagrin we get stuck on 88 as the Clips score the next six points grabbing all of the offensive boards with out small line out there... But then our hero steps back and just like that ~~~another three to put the Piston back up 91-90 with less than a minute to go. Piston fans are hifiving each other ...wife is upset.

and then lord and behold...Rasual Butler...one of my fantasy players delivers the dagger and game winner with a three with just over 25 seconds. 93-91 Clippers..Stuckey committed

OK Piston fans ..we are on the road, we go for the win or the tie???? Looks like we tried to go for the two and then get the winning pt at the line.....wrong choice. Stucco gets mugged driving in to the hoop AND NO CALL!!!!Even the Clipper fans say !WTF Butler blocked him and ball with his elbow and the Clipps are off to races the other way...of course gets fouled and hits two freebies.

Then with Rip takes a three ball shot and spun around the hoop....and out....game over?? yep as Rip did his best Ben Wallace impression and missed all three free throws Clipper fans and Mrs Dre, rejoice and yours truly walks out of a Piston road game for the first time in 10 games witnessing a Piston loss. my karma has been broke..

In summary the Clippers new players all played well, especially Gooden as JJ could not stop him and neither could our other bigs...when they were out there.

Butler was cold in the first half but killed us in the 4th with three three balls and the big block mug on Stuckey.

In the battle of the Gordons....Eric 13 pts, Ben 0 pts

We got out boarded, out three pointed and out free thowed...

When is the last year the Pistons got swept by both LA teams

sorry for the late report...but I had some work stuff I had to get off my desk first...

I thought we played decent in the first half, but you could tell that the Clips had another gear they had not tapped in to.

Ben didn't play a very good game.

I watched some of the 3rd, and we just didn't want it.

The Clips announcers are pretty good. Sound like hillbillies lost in Los Angeles, but are substantially better than listening to the corndog homerism of Blaha and Kelser.

I love Eric Gordon. I think he's a fantastic guard.

Tay is playing so good, I don't want him to leave. When he and Rip are in the game, Stuckey becomes the 3rd option, and doesn't force so many drives.

Tay has been great. Now I am wondering if we aren't better keeping both Tay and Rip with Stuck, getting some size in the draft and bringing back Ben. It's not a championship formula, but if Rip can keep shooting as he has, and if Tay can keep going to the front of the rim, I could watch another 82 games of this show...

The talent gap between a Baron Davis and a Rodney Stuckey is pretty big. As big as the talent gap between Eric and Ben Gordon.

I thought we played decent in the first half, but you could tell that the Clips had another gear they had not tapped in to.

Ben didn't play a very good game.

I watched some of the 3rd, and we just didn't want it.

The Clips announcers are pretty good. Sound like hillbillies lost in Los Angeles, but are substantially better than listening to the corndog homerism of Blaha and Kelser.

I love Eric Gordon. I think he's a fantastic guard.

Tay is playing so good, I don't want him to leave. When he and Rip are in the game, Stuckey becomes the 3rd option, and doesn't force so many drives.

Tay has been great. Now I am wondering if we aren't better keeping both Tay and Rip with Stuck, getting some size in the draft and bringing back Ben. It's not a championship formula, but if Rip can keep shooting as he has, and if Tay can keep going to the front of the rim, I could watch another 82 games of this show...

The talent gap between a Baron Davis and a Rodney Stuckey is pretty big. As big as the talent gap between Eric and Ben Gordon.

Click to expand...

I watched the playback today and the Clipper announcers knew the Pistons history and questioned every move Joe made dating back 2002 ...some praising and some bashing. They didn't understand why Pistons gave up Billups, Afflalo, why we let Ben walk in 06, and pretty much said that once Flip Saunders was fired it was all downhill from there. They laughed about the Darko pick too

I hear these guys a lot watching Clippers games here in LA, and they talk a lot of banter about the other teams, but listening to this game I felt they were reading quotes right out of the PistonForum

I watched the playback today and the Clipper announcers knew the Pistons history and questioned every move Joe made dating back 2002 ...some praising and some bashing. They didn't understand why Pistons gave up Billups, Afflalo, why we let Ben walk in 06, and pretty much said that once Flip Saunders was fired it was all downhill from there. They laughed about the Darko pick too

I hear these guys a lot watching Clippers games here in LA, and they talk a lot of banter about the other teams, but listening to this game I felt they were reading quotes right out of the PistonForum

Click to expand...

I always like listening to knowledgable away announcers. Certain cities have them and others don't.

I like our announcers.. blaha has his little catch phrases... "OFF THE HIGHGLASS!" among others... i dont mind homerism.. it take every game vs a charles barkley like "these guys suck!" altho that was funny about the dunk contest when he said"maybe no one will win"

I just love this sequence when Chucky stands by the bench and Gooden looses the ball over the side line. First Goden tries to save it but at the same time Atkins reaches out and grabs the ball and hides it away.

He really wanna play

Update 1: I also like the innocent look in Goodens face in the last pic ;)

Update 2: Who ever sits behind Gooden in the last pic don't seem to appreciate the view! However Daye haves himself a peek!

The Clips announcers are pretty good. Sound like hillbillies lost in Los Angeles, but are substantially better than listening to the corndog homerism of Blaha and Kelser.

The talent gap between a Baron Davis and a Rodney Stuckey is pretty big. As big as the talent gap between Eric and Ben Gordon.

Click to expand...

I liked those guys also. They have a rep as being quirky, but this was the longest I listened to them.

The athleticism gap between B Dizzle and Stuckey is enormous. It's not that Stuckey blows, but the Davis' or Tyreke Evans and OJ Mayo's got another gear they can go to and it is the difference between free throws or a charge.

Did anybody else question the play of Stuckey trying to drive and tie the score and getting blocked by both Butler and Kaman?? How many times has he done this and either gets blocked or gets a charge called on him?? I know Rip was shaky at the FT line but since he had hit three three pointers in the last 3 mins, I may have tried it again....even though the Clippers were looking for it.....they had 25 seconds minus one to get him open.

Or maybe even Tay taking it to the rim instead of Stucco....have to wonder if this was the play drawn up or it was whoever appears to be open, go for it.? Stuck does go to the line, but he still can't get half the trips that his hero Wade gets...